General comments:

The manuscript titled “Dynamics and Impacts of Monsoon-Induced Geological Hazards: A 2022 Flood Study along the Swat River in Pakistan” provides a valuable case study on the impact of extreme weather events, specifically focusing on the unprecedented 2022 monsoon season in Pakistan. The paper effectively combines field investigations, remote sensing analysis, and numerical simulations to comprehensively understand the factors leading to catastrophic debris flows and floods in the Swat River basin. The authors meticulously analyze the influences of topography, land cover changes, and gully morphology in exacerbating these geological hazards, adding valuable insights to the existing body of literature on climate change and hydro-meteorological hazards.

The authors are to be commended for their thorough, multidisciplinary approach. Using both empirical data and simulation models enhances the robustness of the findings, particularly regarding the dynamics of debris flows. The integration of numerical simulations provides valuable insight into the mechanics of these events, with clear implications for the need to prioritize reforestation and sustainable land management practices. This study makes significant contributions by underscoring the role of deforestation in increasing susceptibility to debris flows and offering practical recommendations for improved disaster mitigation strategies. The emphasis on implementing early warning systems and enforcing rigorous land use planning also adds to the paper's relevance, especially given the escalating threats posed by climate change.

While the manuscript is well-prepared and makes a compelling case for the urgent need to address climate-induced hazards, Minor Revisions have been recommended, and a few additional clarifications could enhance its impact and accessibility.

1. The methodology section would benefit from additional context on the specific remote sensing techniques. Although the overall approach is well-explained, more detail would help readers understand how the data were collected and interpreted.

1. The simulations are a strong point of this study, but expanding on the parameters chosen for these models would be beneficial. For instance, detailing how initial conditions were set and how simulation results compare with field data could strengthen the readers’ confidence in the validity of the findings.

1. The study touches on the socioeconomic impacts of the 2022 floods, mentioning financial instability and widespread infrastructure damage. Additional quantitative or qualitative data (if available) would be beneficial to further illustrate the implications for local communities and resilience efforts.

1. The discussion and conclusion sections provide valuable recommendations for immediate mitigation strategies. Including a brief discussion on potential long-term strategies, such as reforestation or climate-resilient infrastructure, would broaden the paper's relevance and align with the findings on the critical role of deforestation and climate adaptation.

Specific comments:

The introduction is well-organized and effectively presents the relevant literature. However, the final paragraph could benefit from greater specificity and focus to better frame the study's objectives.

Sections 3.3 and 3.4 need to be explained well, including how they analyze and elaborate on the field data.

In Section 4.4, it would be helpful if the authors could provide more details on how historical land use data was integrated into the analysis. Were land-use change trends considered in the numerical simulations to account for potential future scenarios?

Section 4.6 discusses rainfall intensity and duration as key triggers for debris flows. Could the authors elaborate on whether these thresholds vary across different areas within the Swat River basin? This additional detail would enhance the understanding of how localized environmental conditions influence debris flow risks.

The discussion section is insightful but could be further refined. Focusing and streamlining the points presented would improve its impact and readability. Also included more references to the broader body of literature, linking findings from the study to established work on climate change, deforestation, and geological hazards.

In Section 5.4, since the findings emphasize the importance of early warning systems, the authors should discuss ways to enhance current warning systems to address the specific hazards highlighted in this study. Additionally, are there specific technological advancements or practices that could improve the accuracy and responsiveness of these systems?

Technical corrections:

L32: change “discouraging construction activities in flood-prone and debris flow-prone regions" to "flood-prone and debris-flow-prone regions."

L37: degree to extent

L44: drought to droughts and “on human use system” to “on human systems.”

L49: catastrophe events to catastrophic events

L56 to L58, please make it clear the sentence is confusing

L77: flood to Floods

L105: Changed "district Swat" to "the district of Swat" and "River Swat" to "the Swat River" and "River Swat is nourished all year round" to "The Swat River is nourished year-round"

L106 to L108 make the line clear; it is confusing.

L111: removed "In the extreme southern end of the Swat Valley, the river enters a narrow gorge and joins the Panjkora River at Bosaq before entering the Peshawar Valley" as it was repeated.

L121: "has experienced a significant history of geological hazards" to "has experienced a significant number of geological hazards."

L123: "in the monsoon season of 2022" to "In the 2022 monsoon season" for smoother flow.

L127: "physically visited" with "physically inspected."

L130: "The positions of each debris flow dam and meticulously measured the dimensions" to "The dimensions of each debris flow dam were also measured and documented comprehensively."

L136: conducted to performed

L140: "near Kalam Swat" to "near Kalam, Swat"

L151: misplaced parenthesis

L163: for "Land Use and Land Cover (LUC)" throughout the section using consistent terminology and format.

L177: please make it clear the line

L185: please rephrase the sentence and check the reference

L193: rain to rainfall

L202: please rephrase it

L217: replace it with “The most extreme and high-magnitude floods were recorded at Bodai Kamar Khwar, with levels reaching 70 to 80 feet.”

L226: replace it with "As shown in Table 2, the average slope angles within the debris flow initiation zones ranged from 30° to 45°."

L230: replace to "This occurs primarily because most debris flows begin as shallow landslides or as rill or gully erosion on large landslide deposits."

L248: replace it with “These debris flows deposited debris, mud, and rock along National Highway N-95 (Fig. 1), which runs parallel to the River Swat."

L275: replace to "Individual landslides and erosive processes are responsible for exposing bare areas on the mountainsides (Figs. 5-7)."

L325 and 326: the lines should need to be rephrased

L334 and 335: replace to "The debris flow depth reaches its peak between 45 and 60 minutes, ranging from 36 to 40 m, while the velocity reaches a maximum of 17 to 18 m/s, as shown in panels d-e and i-j, respectively."

L402: add “which offers” after “Swat River basin,”

L445: add “a” after “permeability”

L482: change “with infrastructural damage totaling $30 billion”

L522: change was observed to was recorded

L524: change “catalyzed” to triggered

L527: change “reveal” to revealed

L537: change “Had” to reached

L541: change “events” to event

L549: replaced to "This paper pinpoints the most vulnerable regions in Pakistan."